Downhill check for vehicles



May 27,1924.

'W. MCNAMES DOWNHILL CHECK FOR VEHICLES 2 SheeLS-Shel l yFiled May 91.921

May 27 ,v 1924. y 1,495,916

W. MONAMES 4 yDQWNHILL CHECK FOR VEHICLES Filed May 9. 1921 2Sheets-Sheet@ ma.. m

Zd WZWMWMS Patented May 27, 1924.

UNITED STAUTES- WILLIAM MCNAMES, or ABERDEEN, soltr'r-H DAKOTA.

DOWNHILL CHECK FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed May 9, 1921. Serial No. 467,980.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, VILLIAM McNAMEs, a citizenof the United States, residing at Aberdeen, in the county of Brown andState of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Downhill Checks for Vehicles; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to an improved device which is designed forchecking forward movements of vehicles on inclines in case the engineaccidentally stops or for any other reason necessitating stoppage of thevehicle on a down-grade. Y

The principal object of the invention is to generally improve upondevices of this class by providing one of extreme simplicity anddurability which will eHectively accomplish the desired results and yetnot raise the rear end of the vehiclepif of the ground as do many othersimilar devices of this class.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this classwhich is composed of comparatively few strong and durable parts whichare such that they can be connected to the vehicle by inexperiencedpersons.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, with parts shown in section, of adevice constructed in accordance with this invention showing the same inoperative positionV on a vehicle chassis. 1

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the device in inoperative position. j

Figure 3 is a rear end elevation with the ground engaging shoe insection.

Figure 4 is a top plan view showing the manner of connecting the deviceto the chassis.

Figure 5 ,is a detail perspective view of the shoe.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a detail of the attaching means.

Figure 7 is a transverse section taken substantially on the plane of theline 7-7 of Fig. I.

Before proceeding with the detailed description of the invention, I wishto point out that I have disclosed many parts which are substantialduplicates of the corresponding parts disclosed in my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 467 ,979, filed May 9, 1921, forfan improvedanti-skid device for automobiles. These parts that I have reference toare specifically described in the above named application and constituteno part of this invention. Therefore, they need be only referred tobriefly. To this end, 1 designates an attaching plate disposed on therear axle .housing II and clamped thereon by any suitable means, suchfor instance by the U-bolts 2. Here, I may point out that this attachingplate has associated with it, like the one shown and described in theaforesaid,

application, novel anchoring means 3 for preventing possible slippageand rotation thereof on the axle housing, this means coacting with thespring as shown. Extend'- ing crosswise of the attaching plate 1 andbeyond the longitudinal edges ofthe latter is a second plate 4 providedat its forward end with a guide 5 for passage of the operating cable 6.The rearwardly extending and depending portion 7 of this plate 4 insteadof being solidl like the corresponding parts shown in my co-pending caseabove named,is bifurcated near its lower end as indicated at 8 forming'apair of arms 9, the lower ends of which are bent upon themselves to formbearings 10 for the journalling of a pivot pin 11 which serves as amounting means for an extensible leg 12 which is connected theretointermediate its ends as shown.

The parts above referred to with the exception of the leg 12 aresubstantial duplicates of. the corresponding parts shown andspecifically described in my co-pending case already named, it beingunderstood that the plate 4 is bifurcated at 8 vto 'accommodatethevparticular'kind of legy herein shown. It may be stated that the leglcould well-be of the same construction as the one shown in theapplication under consideration. However, I prefer to vary theconstruction thereof and construct the same so as to include a tubularupper section 13, and a cylindrical plunger or lower section 14 which isslidable in the hollow portion of said upper section. The upper end o-fthe section last named is designed to be received between a pair of jaws15 carried by the depending portion 7 of the plate 4L. It is to be notedthat these jaws are so constructed and 'the upper end of this sectionalleg is likewise so constructed that when it is received between saidjaws, it is held against undue and undesirable movement by friction.'Referring now to the lower end of this tubular section 13, it will beseen that it is provided at diainetrically opposite points withguide-slots 16 in which the lateral extensions 17, carried by thelcylindrical section 14 have limited sliding movement. Arranged withinthe socket or hollow portion of the section 13 is a ,coiled spring 18which bears against the upper end of the part 14: and serves to forcethe latter downward for a purpose to be herein described.

The invention in addition to embodying the aforesaid parts includes apivotally mounted ground-engaging shoe 19 which in its preferred form isequipped on its upper face with spaced ears 2O between which across-headQl on the lower end oi the leg section 14 is received andpivotally connected at 22. Attention is directed to the fact that thecross-head 21 is reduced in width toward its opposite ends so as topermit. pivotal movement ot the shoe yet limit such movement so that itwill not assume an undesirable position. lt may also be uientioned thatopposite ends of the shoe are upturned as indicated at 23 to preventthese ends; fromV digging into the surface and hanging, and notpermitting etliective operation of the device.. The only other part ofthe invention not yet described is a brace 24 secured to the plate etand including spaced arms 25 straddling the upper end of the leg section18 and having their lower ends engaged with the bearings 10 to rein 7force and increase the rigidity of the depending portion 7 of thisplate.

In operation, the leg is normally suspend ed iii the inoperativeposition disclosed in Fig. 2, being held in such position by means of'the cable 6 which extends forwardly through the guide 5 and to aconvenient point on the vehicle for operation the driver or otheroccupant. By releasing the cable 6, the leg 'l2 and toot 19 will drop bygravity and the foot will engage the ground being held in yieldingycontact with the latter by means of the spring which eX- erts adownward pressure on the leg section 14. l/Vhen the shoe thus contactsthe ground, it will actlike a brakev and serve to bring the vehicle to astandstill. It is obvious that when the upper portion of the leg section13 swings between the jaws 15,

Vthe rearward swinging movement of the leg prising attaching meansincluding a plate adapted for crosswise disposition on and connection tothe rear axle or a vehicle,a leg pivoted intermediate its ends on saidplate, spaced jaws on said plate Vbetween which the upper end of saidleg` is received and frictionally gripped when in operative position,and a ground-engaging element on the lower end of said leg.

2. A device of the class described coinprising attaching means forconnection to a part of the vehicle, a slotted tubular legsectionpivotally connected to said means, a spring-pressed sectionv telescopiuginto said tubular section and equipped with pins projecting slidablythrough said slots, a head on the lower end of said second-namedsection, and a surface-engaging slice pivotally connected with saidhead.

3. A device of the class described coinprising a plate for crosswisedisposition on.

and connection to the rea-r axle of anV auto- 'mobile, includingadepending rearwardly Vextending bifurcated portion, a leg,pivoted to andmovable between the furcations of saidplate, a brace carried' by thelatter including spaced arms between Vwhich the upper end'of said leg isdisposed when in operative position, anda ground-engaging element on thelower end of said arms.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM Menaiiins.

subjoined

